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Smith was born in [[Hallett, South Australia]] and educated at East Adelaide Public School. He first worked as a journalist, writing for ''The Critic'', ''The Register'' and ''The Bulletin'', and helping found ''The Gadfly''. He tried playwriting, working on an adaptation of ''[[On Our Selection]]'' with [[Steele Rudd]] - this was eventually rewritten by [[Bert Bailey]] to great success.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article56533846 |title=LITERARY NOTES. |newspaper=[[South_Australian_Register|The Register (Adelaide, SA : 1901 - 1929)]] |location=Adelaide, SA |date=31 August 1907 |accessdate=17 January 2012 |page=12 |publisher=National Library of Australia}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article18514102 |title=Bert Bailey Started In Melodrama And Made A Fortune From A Beard. |newspaper=[[The_Sun-Herald|The Sunday Herald (Sydney, NSW : 1949 - 1953)]] |location=Sydney, NSW |date=5 April 1953 |accessdate=17 January 2012 |page=12 |publisher=National Library of Australia}}</ref> |
Smith was born in [[Hallett, South Australia]] and educated at East Adelaide Public School. He first worked as a journalist, writing for ''The Critic'', ''The Register'' and ''The Bulletin'', and helping found ''The Gadfly''. He tried playwriting, working on an adaptation of ''[[On Our Selection]]'' with [[Steele Rudd]] - this was eventually rewritten by [[Bert Bailey]] to great success.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article56533846 |title=LITERARY NOTES. |newspaper=[[South_Australian_Register|The Register (Adelaide, SA : 1901 - 1929)]] |location=Adelaide, SA |date=31 August 1907 |accessdate=17 January 2012 |page=12 |publisher=National Library of Australia}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article18514102 |title=Bert Bailey Started In Melodrama And Made A Fortune From A Beard. |newspaper=[[The_Sun-Herald|The Sunday Herald (Sydney, NSW : 1949 - 1953)]] |location=Sydney, NSW |date=5 April 1953 |accessdate=17 January 2012 |page=12 |publisher=National Library of Australia}}</ref> |
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He later worked as secretary for [[William Anderson (theatre)|William Anderson]].<ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article56877236 |title=DRAMATIC NOTES:. |newspaper=[[South_Australian_Register|The Register (Adelaide, SA : 1901 - 1929)]] |location=Adelaide, SA |date=16 May 1908 |accessdate=17 January 2012 |page=7 |publisher=National Library of Australia}}</ref> In 1911 he managed a European troupe of midgets, 'Tiny Town'<ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article63805289 |title=BEAUMONT SMITH BACK. |newspaper=[[Sunday_Mail_(Adelaide)|The Mail (Adelaide, SA : 1912 - 1954)]] |location=Adelaide, SA |date=20 September 1913 |accessdate=17 January 2012 |page=1 Section: SECOND SECTION. |publisher=National Library of Australia}}</ref> and went into theatre management.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article59641701 |title=BEAUMONT SMITH'S ENTERPRISES. |newspaper=[[Sunday_Mail_(Adelaide)|The Mail (Adelaide, SA : 1912 - 1954)]] |location=Adelaide, SA |date=7 February 1914 |accessdate=17 January 2012 |page=6 Section: SATURDAY'S NEWS SECTION. |publisher=National Library of Australia}}</ref> |
He later worked as secretary for [[William Anderson (theatre)|William Anderson]].<ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article56877236 |title=DRAMATIC NOTES:. |newspaper=[[South_Australian_Register|The Register (Adelaide, SA : 1901 - 1929)]] |location=Adelaide, SA |date=16 May 1908 |accessdate=17 January 2012 |page=7 |publisher=National Library of Australia}}</ref> In 1911 he managed a European troupe of midgets, 'Tiny Town'<ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article63805289 |title=BEAUMONT SMITH BACK. |newspaper=[[Sunday_Mail_(Adelaide)|The Mail (Adelaide, SA : 1912 - 1954)]] |location=Adelaide, SA |date=20 September 1913 |accessdate=17 January 2012 |page=1 Section: SECOND SECTION. |publisher=National Library of Australia}}</ref> and went into theatre management.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article59641701 |title=BEAUMONT SMITH'S ENTERPRISES. |newspaper=[[Sunday_Mail_(Adelaide)|The Mail (Adelaide, SA : 1912 - 1954)]] |location=Adelaide, SA |date=7 February 1914 |accessdate=17 January 2012 |page=6 Section: SATURDAY'S NEWS SECTION. |publisher=National Library of Australia}}</ref> He was a fan of the works of Henry Lawson and adapted several of his stories for stage and film.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article16022883 |title=HENRY LAWSON. STATE FUNERAL. |newspaper=[[Sydney_morning_herald|The Sydney Morning Herald (NSW : 1842 - 1954)]] |location=NSW |date=5 September 1922 |accessdate=21 January 2012 |page=10 |publisher=National Library of Australia}}</ref> |
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===Film Career=== |
===Film Career=== |
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* ''[[The Hayseeds]]'' (1933) |
* ''[[The Hayseeds]]'' (1933) |
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* ''[[Splendid Fellows]]'' (1934) |
* ''[[Splendid Fellows]]'' (1934) |
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==Selected Theatre Credits== |
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*''Seven Little Australians'' (1916) |
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*''While the Billy Boils'' (1916) - adaptation<ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article59827415 |title="WHILE THE BILLY BOILS". |newspaper=[[Sunday_Mail_(Adelaide)|The Mail (Adelaide, SA : 1912 - 1954)]] |location=Adelaide, SA |date=23 December 1916 |accessdate=21 January 2012 |page=4 |publisher=National Library of Australia}}</ref> |
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*'''Joe Wilson and His Mates'' (1916) - adaptation<ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article68624855 |title=Ladies' Letter. |newspaper=[[West Gippsland Gazette |West Gippsland Gazette (Warragul, Vic. : 1898 - 1930) ]] |location=Warragul, Vic. |date=28 November 1916 |accessdate=21 January 2012 |page=3 Edition: MORNING. |publisher=National Library of Australia}}</ref> |
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==References== |
==References== |
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Revision as of 03:08, 21 January 2012
Frank Beaumont (Beau) Smith (15 August, 1885-1950), was an Australian film director, producer and exhibitor, best known for making low-budget comedies.
Biography
Smith was born in Hallett, South Australia and educated at East Adelaide Public School. He first worked as a journalist, writing for The Critic, The Register and The Bulletin, and helping found The Gadfly. He tried playwriting, working on an adaptation of On Our Selection with Steele Rudd - this was eventually rewritten by Bert Bailey to great success.[1][2]
He later worked as secretary for William Anderson.[3] In 1911 he managed a European troupe of midgets, 'Tiny Town'[4] and went into theatre management.[5] He was a fan of the works of Henry Lawson and adapted several of his stories for stage and film.[6]
Film Career
Smith made his first film in 1917, Our Friends, the Hayseeds. He went on to become one of the most prolific and popular Australian filmmakers of the silent era. Among his films were adaptations of the works of Banjo Paterson and Henry Lawson. His 1933 comedy The Hayseeds featured the first screen appearance of Cecil Kellaway.
Smith was famous for making his films quickly - sometimes he would complete shooting and post production within one month. He was sometimes known as "One Shot Beau" or "That'll Do Beau".[7]
Later Career
Shrinking profits led to Smith retiring from filmmaking in 1925, although he returned briefly in the early 1930s. He became managing director of Williamson Films (New Zealand) Ltd (later J. C. Williamson Picture Corporation Ltd), Wellington.[8]
Personal Life
Smith was married to Elsie Fleming from 1911, until his death. She was often an uncredited contributor with his work, helping him write scripts. His brother Gordon managed his finances.[9]
Legacy
The National Library of Australia tracked down a collection of 300 reels of Smith's films, including all his features. However when the researches arrived to collect it they were told that the entire collection had been burnt within the previous weeks, on the advice of an insurance company because of the film's inflammable nature.[10]
Selected filmography
- Our Friends, the Hayseeds (1917)
- The Hayseeds Come to Sydney (1917)
- The Hayseeds' Back-blocks Show (1917)
- The Hayseeds' Melbourne Cup (1918)
- Satan in Sydney (1918)
- Desert Gold (1919)
- Barry Butts In (1919)
- The Man from Snowy River (1920) - based on the poem by Banjo Paterson
- The Betrayer (1921)
- While the Billy Boils (1921) - based on the stories of Henry Lawson
- The Gentleman Bushranger (1922)
- Townies and Hayseeds (1923)
- Prehistoric Hayseeds (1923)
- Joe (1924) - based on the story by Henry Lawson
- Hullo Marmaduke (1925)
- The Adventures of Algy (1925)
- The Hayseeds (1933)
- Splendid Fellows (1934)
Selected Theatre Credits
- Seven Little Australians (1916)
- While the Billy Boils (1916) - adaptation[11]
- 'Joe Wilson and His Mates (1916) - adaptation[12]
References
- ^ "LITERARY NOTES". The Register (Adelaide, SA : 1901 - 1929). Adelaide, SA: National Library of Australia. 31 August 1907. p. 12. Retrieved 17 January 2012.
- ^ "Bert Bailey Started In Melodrama And Made A Fortune From A Beard". The Sunday Herald (Sydney, NSW : 1949 - 1953). Sydney, NSW: National Library of Australia. 5 April 1953. p. 12. Retrieved 17 January 2012.
- ^ "DRAMATIC NOTES:". The Register (Adelaide, SA : 1901 - 1929). Adelaide, SA: National Library of Australia. 16 May 1908. p. 7. Retrieved 17 January 2012.
- ^ "BEAUMONT SMITH BACK". The Mail (Adelaide, SA : 1912 - 1954). Adelaide, SA: National Library of Australia. 20 September 1913. p. 1 Section: SECOND SECTION. Retrieved 17 January 2012.
- ^ "BEAUMONT SMITH'S ENTERPRISES". The Mail (Adelaide, SA : 1912 - 1954). Adelaide, SA: National Library of Australia. 7 February 1914. p. 6 Section: SATURDAY'S NEWS SECTION. Retrieved 17 January 2012.
- ^ "HENRY LAWSON. STATE FUNERAL". The Sydney Morning Herald (NSW : 1842 - 1954). NSW: National Library of Australia. 5 September 1922. p. 10. Retrieved 21 January 2012.
- ^ Graham Shirley and Brian Adams, Australian Cinema: The First Eighty Years, Currency Press, 1989 p 50.
- ^ "J. C. WILLIAMSON FILMS LTD". The Argus (Melbourne, Vic. : 1848 - 1956). Melbourne, Vic.: National Library of Australia. 14 November 1925. p. 22. Retrieved 17 January 2012.
- ^ Shirley, Graham, 'Smith, Frank Beaumont (Beau) (1885–1950)', Australian Dictionary of Biography, National Centre of Biography, Australian National University accessed 17 January 2012.
- ^ "THAT SENTIMENTAL BLOKE". The Australian Women's Weekly (1933 - 1982). 1933 - 1982: National Library of Australia. 9 December 1970. p. 13. Retrieved 17 January 2012.
{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: location (link) - ^ ""WHILE THE BILLY BOILS"". The Mail (Adelaide, SA : 1912 - 1954). Adelaide, SA: National Library of Australia. 23 December 1916. p. 4. Retrieved 21 January 2012.
- ^ "Ladies' Letter". West Gippsland Gazette (Warragul, Vic. : 1898 - 1930) . Warragul, Vic.: National Library of Australia. 28 November 1916. p. 3 Edition: MORNING. Retrieved 21 January 2012.